Facilitating Value Based Education in Schools-A Framework

Values are virtues, ideals and qualities on which actions and beliefs are based. Values are guiding principles that shape our world outlook, attitude and conduct. The physical, intellectual, emotional and ethical integration of an individual into a complete man is the fundamental aim of education. Apart from the professional competence every individual is expected to perform other social obligations in life with perfection. We are also facing with the challenge of erosion of values in public life. So, values have to be inculcated through deliberate effort and not left to chance right from school to university stage. Spiritual, moral, social, personal, scientific and cultural values deemed to be considered essential in the present scenario. Values have to be both caught and taught. The present paper discusses why there is a need of value based education, what kind of values need to be inculcated, and some of the strategies for inculcating values viz. Direct approach (value education as a separate subject), indirect or integrated approach (value education as a integral part all subjects and all other co-curricular activities), incidental approach, socialized techniques (modelling, enacting and role-playing) and value clarification method. The success in value education depends upon the enthusiasm and commitment of teachers and management of institutions.